Just a two days before we left for Adeanya's funeral we learned that a family in our ward (or congregation) lost their baby girl. She was just 2-1/2 months old and died in her sleep from SIDS. The family was on vacation while the father stayed at home working. Clay visited the father to comfort him as he prepared to drive down to be with his family. Clay then had the task of informing the ward of what had happened.
Just two days after we returned from visiting with Clay's family and remembering the life of his grandmother, he was asked by the family to speak at the funeral for their baby girl. He had less than 2 days to prepare.
I sat in the services and was so impressed by what Clay said. I had not read it beforehand yet we had talked about some ideas. Our thoughts had been on life and mortality and what happens next for some time now. Our feelings were still tender from the loss of his grandmother. As I listened to Clay speak I felt I needed to share it here on my blog. This is not what I normally do. But I know I need to share it. I hope you take the time to read through what he said.
1.
Introduction
& Acknowledgment
a. Good
morning. I am thankful to be here with the (names removed) families, and
with you all, Brothers & Sisters in the Gospel and in the Family of God. My
name is Clay Hunt and I am currently the Elders Quorum President of the Potomac
Crossing Ward where (names removed) and their children attend church. Their
family has asked me to share a few words about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and
the comfort it provides to them at such a difficult time as this. I am humbled
to be asked and to be trusted to share such words. I pray that the Power of the
Holy Ghost will be with me and continue to be with all of us at this time.
2.
The Gospel
is a great comfort – Good news
a. As I spoke
with (the father) about what words or phrases or scriptures have come to mind at this
challenging time, he responded that his knowledge of the overall Gospel of
Jesus Christ and the summation of its parts have been of great comfort to him.
b. The Gospel
is indeed Good News. When the angel appeared to the shepherds on the night of Christ’s
birth, he said: “Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be
to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour,
which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11)
c. The Apostle
John summarized the Good News of the Gospel when he declared: “For God so loved
the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
3.
Abraham and
the Covenant
a. Abraham,
the great prophet of the Old Testament, made covenants with God when he
received the gospel, received the Priesthood, and when he received the covenant
of eternal marriage. In these covenants, God promised great blessings to
Abraham and all his descendants The Lord promised Abraham that “in thee, and in
thy seed after thee…shall all the families of the earth be blessed, even with
the blessings of the Gospel, which are the blessings of salvation, even of life
eternal.” These blessings, which extend to all of Abraham's seed, are called
the Abrahamic covenant. Even with our understanding of [the Gospel], we can
scarcely envision the magnitude of that promise the Lord made to Abraham.
4.
The Temple
and the Sealing Power
a. The (names removed) Family has also received this covenant, even as Abraham received it. Today a
man and a woman can enter sacred temples dedicated for this purpose, and
receive the sealing ordinance (or eternal marriage), which unites them as
husband and wife not only in this life but for all eternity, and unites the
children born to them with that same sealing power.
5. (names removed) – Married in the D.C. Temple on (date removed)
a. When (names removed) entered the Washington, D.C. Temple of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on (date removed),
they were sealed together as husband and wife. The children born to them (names removed) were born into that covenant and are
entitled to all the blessings of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They have all received
the promise that their family relationship can continue ‘through all eternity
and shall be of full force when they are out of the world’ (D&C 132:19).
6.
The
Atonement of Jesus Christ
a. From the
Book of Mormon, Alma Chapter 38 Verse 5 we read: And now, I would that ye
should remember, that as much as ye shall put your trust in God even so much ye
shall be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your afflictions,
and ye shall be lifted up at the last day. (Alma 38:5)
b. Why do we
put our faith and trust in God and in His Son Jesus Christ? It is because of
his Atonement, the promise of the Resurrection for all men, women, and
children, and the promise of eternal life for those who put their faith in
Christ and endure in that faith to the end of their lives.
c. The Book of
John in the New Testament records the following conversation:
i.
23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.
ii.
24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise
again in the resurrection at the last day.
iii.
25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the
life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
iv.
26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall
never die. Believest thou this?
7. The scriptures contain great words of comfort about what
happens to the spirits of the righteous between death and the resurrection, and
after the resurrection. They are contained in the 40th Chapter of
the Book of Alma in the Book of Mormon.
a. 11 Now,
concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection—Behold, it
has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon
as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men,
whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life.
b. 12 And then shall it come to pass, that the
spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness,
which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall
rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.
c. 21 until
the time which is appointed of God that the dead shall come forth, and be
reunited, both soul and body, and be brought to stand before God, and be judged
according to their works.
d. 23 The soul
shall be restored to the body, and the body to the soul; yea, and every limb
and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not
be lost; but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame.
e. 25 And then
shall the righteous shine forth in the kingdom of God.
8. The
scriptures also make special mention of the promises extended to Little Children and those who die without a
knowledge of the Gospel. In the 8th Chapter of Moroni in the Book of
Mormon, we read:
a. 8 Listen to
the words of Christ, your Redeemer, your Lord and your God. Behold, I came into
the world not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance; the whole need
no physician, but they that are sick; wherefore, little children are whole, for
they are not capable of committing sin; wherefore the curse of Adam is taken
from them in me, that it hath no power over them.
b. 12 little
children are alive in Christ, even from the foundation of the world.
c. In the book
of Luke, Jesus says, speaking of little children, “for of such is the kingdom
of God.”
9. For those of us who remain and continue on in life,
what is our motivation? It is to live faithfully, that we might be reunited
and live forever as a family with our loved ones who have gone on before us. As
we remember (name removed), let us remember that Jesus exhorts us many times in both
the Bible and the Book of Mormon to ‘be as a little child’.
a. Matthew 18:
1-4
i.
1 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus,
saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
ii.
2 And Jesus
called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
iii.
3 And said,
Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children,
ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
iv.
4 Whosoever
therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in
the kingdom of heaven.
b. Mosiah 3:19
i.
19 For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has
been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to
the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh
a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child,
submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all
things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth
submit to his father.
c. Moroni 8:10
i.
10 Behold I say unto you that this thing shall ye
teach—repentance and baptism unto those who are accountable and capable of
committing sin; yea, teach parents that they must repent and be baptized, and
humble themselves as their little children, and they shall all be saved with
their little children.
10. In the most
recent General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, of the Quorum of
the 12 Apostles, said:
a. In striving
for some peace and understanding in these difficult matters, it is crucial to
remember that we are living—and chose to live—in a fallen world where for
divine purposes our pursuit of godliness will be tested and tried again and
again. Of greatest assurance in God’s plan is that a Savior was promised, a
Redeemer, who through our faith in Him would lift us triumphantly over those
tests and trials, even though the cost to do so would be unfathomable for both
the Father who sent Him and the Son who came. It is only an appreciation of
this divine love that will make our own lesser suffering first bearable, then
understandable, and finally redemptive.”
b. Elder Holland continued: “So how
do you best respond when mental or emotional challenges confront you or those
you love? Above all, never lose faith in your Father in Heaven, who loves you
more than you can comprehend. As President Thomas S. Monson said: “That love
never changes. … It is there for you when you are sad or happy, discouraged or
hopeful. God’s love is there for you whether or not you feel you deserve [it].
It is simply always there.” Never, ever doubt that, and never harden your
heart. Faithfully pursue the time-tested devotional practices that bring the
Spirit of the Lord into your life. Seek the counsel of those who hold keys for
your spiritual well-being. Ask for and cherish priesthood blessings. Take the
sacrament every week, and hold fast to the perfecting promises of the Atonement
of Jesus Christ. Believe in miracles. I have seen so many of them come when
every other indication would say that hope was lost. Hope is never lost. If
those miracles do not come soon or fully or seemingly at all, remember the
Savior’s own anguished example: if the bitter cup does not pass, drink it and
be strong, trusting in happier days ahead.”
11. Brothers & Sisters, I want to close by sharing my
testimony with you. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is true and living and real! God’s
love is always there for you. Because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we will
all one day be Resurrected. And if we are faithful, and humble ourselves as a
little child, and follow our Lord and Savior to the end of our mortal life, we
will know the joy of spending eternity with our loved ones in the Kingdom of
Heaven. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen
